Statistical information Mozambique 1996
Mozambique in the World
top of pageBackground: Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites economic dependence on South Africa a severe drought and a prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989 and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement with rebel forces ended the fighting in 1992.
top of pageLocation: Southern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between
South Africa and
TanzaniaGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 801,590 km²
Land: 784,090 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of California
Land boundaries: Total 4,571 km,
Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km,
Swaziland 105 km, Tanzania 756 km,
Zambia 419 km,
Zimbabwe 1,231 km
Coastline: 2,470 km
Maritime claimsExclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: Tropical to subtropical
Terrain: Mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in northwest, mountains in west
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m
Natural resources:
Coal
Titanium
Land useArable land: 4%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 56%
Forests and woodland: 20%
Other: 20%
Irrigated land: 1,150 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation:
17,877,927 (July 1996 est.)
18,115,250 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate:2.65% (1996 est.)
2.87% (1995 est.)
NationalityNoun: Mozambican(s)
Adjective: Mozambican
Ethnic groups:
Indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Shangaan, Chokwe, Manyika, Sena, Makua, and others)
Europeans 0.06%
Euro-Africans 0.2%
Indians 0.08%
Languages:
Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects
Religions:
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years:46% (male 4,141,915; female 4,115,191) (July 1996 est.)
45% (male 4,078,429; female 4,069,117) (July 1995 est.)
15-64 years:51% (male 4,324,102; female 4,868,518) (July 1996 est.)
53% (male 4,630,193; female 4,882,292) (July 1995 est.)
65 years and over:3% (male 184,606; female 243,595) (July 1996 est.)
2% (male 195,162; female 260,057) (July 1995 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate:
2.65% (1996 est.)
2.87% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
45.51 births/1000 population (1996 est.)
44.6 births/1000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
18.97 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.)
15.94 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
Note: By the end of 1994, an estimated 1.6 million Mozambican refugees, who fled to Malawi, Zimbabwa, and South Africa in earlier years from the civil war, had returned; an estimated 100,000 refugees remain to be repatriated from those countries
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: civil strife and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters
Current issues Natural hazards: severe droughts and floods occur in central and southern provinces; devastating cyclones
International agreements: party to_
Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified_
Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Law of the Sea, Desertification
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
All ages:0.94 male(s)/female (1996 est.) Infant Mortality Rate:125.6 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.)
126 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateLife expectancy at birthTotal population: 44.43 years (1996 est.), 48.95 years (1995 est.)
Male: 43.21 (1996 est.), 47.04 years (1995 est.)
Female: 45.5 years (1996 est.), 50.92 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.23 children born/woman (1996 est.)
6.19 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 40.1%
Male: 57.7%
Female: 23.3%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
Conventional short form: Mozambique
Local long form: Republica Popular de Mocambique
Local short form: Mocambique
Government type: Republic
Capital: Maputo
Administrative divisions: 10 provinces (provincias, singular_provincia; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia
Dependent areasIndependence: 25 June 1975 (from
Portugal)
National holiday: Independence Day, 25 June (1975)
Constitution: 30 November 1990
Legal system: Based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Joaquim Alberto CHISSANO (since 6 November 1986)
Head of government: Prime Minister Pascoal MOCUMBI (since December 1994)
Cabinet: Cabinet
Legislative branch: Unicameral Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia Da Republica):The members are elected by direct, universal, adult suffrage on a secret ballot for a term of five years; election last held 27-29 October 1994 (next to be held NA October 1999); results_percent vote by party NA, seats (250 total) FRELIMO won a slim majority
Note: the presidential and legislative elections took place as called for in the 1992 peace accords; RENAMO participated in the elections
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president and judges elected by the Assembly
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarset, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representationFlag description: Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an open white book
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: One of Africa's poorest countries, Mozambique has failed to exploit the economic potential of its sizable agricultural, hydropower, and transportation resources. Indeed, national output, consumption, and investment declined throughout the first half of the 1980s because of internal disorders, lack of government administrative control, and a growing foreign debt. A sharp increase in foreign aid, attracted by an economic reform policy, resulted in successive years of economic growth in the late 1980s, but aid has declined steadily since 1989. Agricultural output is at only 75% of its 1981 level, and grain has to be imported. Industry operates at only 20%-40% of capacity. The economy depends heavily on foreign assistance to keep afloat. Peace accords between civil warring factions, signed in October 1992, improved chances of foreign investment, aided IMF-supported economic reforms, and supported continued economic recovery. Elections held in 1994 diverted government attention from the economy, resulting in slippage and delays in the economic reform program. Nonetheless, growth continued in 1994-95, and the economy should move forward in the late 1990s, given continued foreign help in meeting debt obligations. One key event in 1995 was the conclusion of negotiations with Enron of Houston, Texas, for a $700 million project to exploit the Pande natural gas fields.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate:
-2.5% (1995 est.)
5.8% (1994 est.)
Real gdp per capita pppGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: Accounts for 50% of GDP and about 90% of exports; cash crops_cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, shrimp; other crops_cassava, corn, rice, tropical fruits; not self-sufficient in food
Industries:
Food
Beverages
Chemicals (fertilizer
Soap
Paints)
Petroleum products
Textiles
Nonmetallic mineral products (cement
Glass
Asbestos)
Tobacco
Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 5.8% (1993 est.), 5% (1989 est.)
Labor force: NA
By occupation: 90% engaged in agriculture
Unemployment rate: 50% (1989 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $252 million
Expenditures: $607 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1992 est.)
Public debtTaxes and other revenuesRevenueFiscal year: Calendar year
Current account balanceInflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports:
total value. $170 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
$150 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Commodities:Shrimp 40%
Cashews
Cotton
Sugar
Copra
Citrus
Partners:Imports: total value:$1.14 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
Commodities:Food
Clothing
Farm equipment
Petroleum
Partners:Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $5 billion (1992 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange ratestop of pageElectricity accessElectricity production: 1.7 billion kWh
Electricity consumptionPer capita: 58 kWh (1993)
Electricity exportsElectricity importsElectricity installed generating capacityElectricity transmission distribution lossesElectricity generation sourcesPetroleumRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones fixed linesTelephones mobile cellularTelephone system: 59,000 (1983 est.) telephones; fair system of troposcatter, open-wire lines, and radio relay
Domestic: microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
International: 5 INTELSAT (2
Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean) earth stations
Broadcast mediaInternet country codeInternet usersBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $84 million, 5.3% of GDP (1994), $110 million, 7.3% of GDP (1993)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 131
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 12
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 32 (1995 est.)
With paved runways under 914 m: 67
Airports with paved runwaysOver 3047 m: 1
2438 to 3047 m: 4
15-24 to 2437 m: 12
914 to 1523 m: 32 (1995 est.)
Under 914 m: 67
Airports with unpaved runwaysHeliportsPipelines: Crude oil (not operating) 306 km; petroleum products 289 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: About 3,750 km of navigable routes
Merchant marine: total:4 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,694 GRT/9,724 DWT (1995 est.)
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs